How to remove grass to start a garden? Removing the grass from your yard is one of the first stages in creating your own veggie garden or new flower beds.
In this post, I’ll show you five different ways to get rid of grass on your lawn (with pictures).
These are the most successful approaches, which I’ve tried several times. I’ll also go through the benefits and drawbacks of each strategy so you can decide which is ideal for your lawn or scenario.
How To Remove Grass To Start a Garden | 5 WAYS
- With a shovel, remove the grass by hand.
- Smother the grass with cardboard or newspaper.
- A sod cutter can be rented.
- Make use of a rototiller.
- Herbicide should be used.
1. Using a shovel, remove the grass by hand.
I’ve written about this strategy earlier. See this article on the best way to remove grass with a shovel for a more complete step-by-step process with additional recommendations.
Grass removal using a shovel is far and away the simplest approach. It puts the least amount of strain on my back because it reduces the quantity of dirt you pull up with the sod.
However, in general, the procedure is as follows:
The day before you want to remove the grass, thoroughly water the area.
Use a garden spade, a flat shovel, or a scraper to remove the debris.
Cut the outline of a sod pad using your shovel/spade. I prefer 1’x2′ to 2’x3′ pads because anything larger becomes difficult to handle.
Lift the pad’s leading-edge up gently.
Cutting your pad out requires going down on your knees and slicing the pad parallel to the pad, entering via the leading edge. You’ll need at least 1-2 inches of dirt, about the same thickness as a commercially manufactured sod pad.
Taking at least 1-2′′ (3-5 cm) of dirt out of the soil will greatly minimise the quantity of weeds present. This is because weed seeds fall from the sky and grow on top of the soil in your grass. The majority of weed seeds will be removed by removing the top layer.
Dump your pad onto a sled, tarp, or wheelbarrow once it’s free.
Pros
This approach is quick and has immediate results. Weeds are infrequent since most weed seeds are removed. You only need a shovel or a wheelbarrow, so it’s also incredibly inexpensive.
Cons
This method necessitates a significant amount of time and effort.
2. Smother the grass with cardboard or newspaper.
Grass and other plants cannot survive without sunlight and air. This method is the most time-consuming, but it also involves the least work.
If you need grass cleared in a matter of weeks, you should choose for a different procedure that will yield faster results. However, if you’re just creating a mulched flower bed, this is the way to use it!
Collect materials
Save cardboard or newspaper until you have enough to cover the entire area of your flower bed or garden. A tarp or black plastic can also be used. Anything that will make the grass suffocate.
Place the cardboard over the area on a calm day when the wind isn’t too strong. Then secure the cardboard to the lawn with bricks, boulders, or stakes to keep it from blowing away. All you have to do now is make sure it will stay there during a strong storm or a particularly windy day.
*If you’re going to use newspaper, make sure it’s 7-10 sheets long. I tried applying only 3-4 times once and still had perennial weeds poking through.
*If making a flower bed, properly wet the cardboard. Then simply place mulch directly on top of the cardboard. I recommend at least 6 inches of mulch.
The cardboard will be held in place by it. By cutting a cross through the cardboard, you may still plant your flowers. The grass will continue to die and degrade beneath the cardboard.
Then you only have to wait one to three months. After 4-6 weeks, examine it again, but not until all of the grass is dead and half-decomposed. However, by the time it’s finished, all of the grass will have perished and decayed! You are now able to plant directly.
Pros
Low-cost and simple — this method typically relies on old newspaper or cardboard. Smothering the grass with cardboard also takes the least amount of work.
Cons
This procedure is time-consuming. It’s also unattractive to have a pile of cardboard in your yard for a few months.
3. A sod cutter can be rented.
A sod cutter is a low-effort tool to quickly remove grass. There will, however, be a fee. Aside from the cost, you need to be careful to prevent or remove rocks, since they might damage the sod cutter.
Many companies offer the rental of motorized sod cutters. Typically, the bill by the day or hour. You’ll need a vehicle capable of hauling the sod cutter, or you’ll have to pay to have it delivered for the day.
Sod cutters that are powered are huge and hefty. They do, however, make rapid work of eradicating the grass and deliver immediate results. They can only work in straight lines since they require a large amount of space to maneuver.
A sod cutter is a low-effort tool to quickly remove grass. There will, however, be a fee. Aside from the cost, you need to be careful to prevent or remove rocks, since they might damage the sod cutter.
Many companies offer the rental of motorized sod cutters. Typically, the bill by the day or hour. You’ll need a vehicle capable of hauling the sod cutter, or you’ll have to pay to have it delivered for the day.
Sod cutters that are powered are huge and hefty. They do, however, make rapid work of eradicating the grass and deliver immediate results. They can only work in straight lines since they require a large amount of space to manoeuvre.
If you’re planning to use a motorized sod cutter, read the instructions beforehand. Check fluid levels, etc., and become familiar with the controls and how they work. Then simply remove the grass with it. You should end up with long strips of sod, which you can either roll up (which is very heavy) or slice into pads to reuse on your land for final removal.
Depending on your location, mechanical sod cutters can either be rented or purchased. They range in price from $200 to $300. If you own a large property, the expenditure may be justified. The cutters are of the ‘kick’ type.
Pros
- Quick results with less work than a shovel.
Cons
- Cost and the potential of damage if you have rocky soil are the disadvantages.
4. Make use of a rototiller.
The grass will be ‘churned’ back into the ground underneath by rototiller blades whirling. Although it is a powerful tool that requires some effort to operate, the spinning blades do the majority of the work.
Both push and walk-behind variants are offered. You’ll need a heavy-duty tiller with rear tines for tilling up young grass.
The soil should be medium moisture to dry for an efficient operation. It might easily become trapped if your soil is too damp.
However, you should take it slowly because the blades must turn numerous times to thoroughly rip up the grass. Depending on how compressed they are, they may start to reverse direction.
Weeds can grow more quickly if you till the ground.
However, it should be noted that tilling will bring numerous seeds to the soil’s surface. Weed seeds that haven’t been exposed to the sun in years but are still alive. Just keep in mind that you’ll probably have to do more weeding than you would if you used one of the other methods.
This is because tilling effectively mixes several inches of soil, whereas the other methods just expose a fresh layer.
Tilling can have a negative impact on the soil in the long run.
Tilling has the potential to harm the soil structure. This is a concern since there are many micro bacteria and fungi in your soil that help your plants’ roots absorb nutrients and minerals. Tilling disperses them and splits them up, making it more difficult to re-establish the micro bacteria’s growth.
Don’t use the tiller to hit rocks.
Rocks, like sod cutters, can harm a rototiller’s spinning tunes. The tines rotate at a high rate. The bolts that hold the tines to the tiller can easily be sheared off if an embedded rock comes to a sudden stop. So you’ll need a couple of shovelfuls of earth or some other means to get started.
Pros
- Tilling produces immediate results. There isn’t a lot of effort required either.
Cons
- Tilling will necessitate more weeding than other techniques.
- Furthermore, the damage to your soil structure will almost certainly necessitate the addition of additional fertilizer and compost.
- Also, you can’t till in the early spring when the soil is quite wet/saturated. As a result, you won’t be able to sow cold-weather plants as soon.
- This method isn’t free because you’ll need to buy or hire a tiller (or borrow one if you are lucky)
- Rocks can easily damage or break a tine, just as they can with a sod cutter. If you rent one, you’ll almost certainly be responsible for the expense of repairs.
5. Herbicide should be used.
I don’t use this procedure very often because I want to avoid using harsh chemicals due of their negative effects on the environment.
However, I can’t dispute that it’s a good approach to get rid of grass. You can kill grass with a mixture of Vinegar/Epsom Salt and a variety of herbicides ranging from Round Up to Finale. Just remember to protect yourself and any other plants you want to retain before applying.
When the paint is dry, apply it.
When the grass is dry and the weather isn’t too hot, all you have to do is spray the area you want to kill. When the chemicals aren’t exposed to direct sunlight, I find that they are most effective. Even if it isn’t always possible to apply the chemicals in the shade.
However, make sure the grass is completely dry, as if the blades are damp, the herbicide will not adhere well, and you will have to reapply later.
Also, if rain is forecast, don’t apply. The chemicals must be absorbed by the grass, and if it rains, they may be washed away.
Pros
- Requires little effort. Also, it’s relatively rapid, as you only have to wait a few weeks.
Cons
- There’s a chance you’ll harm other plants or yourself. Cost, because the chemicals must be purchased.
Conclusion
So there are five practical strategies to clear your grass in order to create a garden or flower bed. Each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. I hope you find these summaries useful in deciding which strategy is best for you. Do you have another method that I didn’t mention? Please let me know in the comments! Thank you all for your time and consideration, and best of luck.
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